Running Into Your Past
by MorgansGurl
Summary: Spike and Dawn have a very interesting encounter years after they last saw each other, and things have changed quite a bit...at least for one person. Spike/Dawn.
1. encounters

Dawn sat on the bar stool sipping her perfect margarita. She was much older now, with one look you could say she was at least 23 years of age. With her long dark hair, Black eye makeup, Leather clothing and the aged air around her.

She was stirring her drink with her olive stick, lost in though as she watched the ice cubes fight for dominance to the surface of her drink. She pulled out a cigarette and took a long drag. She was just about to finish off her drink when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Ello' Love"

"Spike" Dawn just turned back to her drink took a sip, drag of her cigarette and continued to ingnore him. He was flabergasted when he walked into the Club and saw Buffy's little sister sitting at the bar stool. The last he had seen her she was still only 16 and his Niblit. He took in her womanly form. It was very curvy, fit and her outfit left little to the imagination. Overall Spike liked how his Niblit had turned out, she was downright bitable.

"This seat taken" Dawn just looked at him over her shoulder then waved a hand at the empty seat next to her and turned back to her now none existant drink. "Ear' lemme get ya anouther drink there pet" Spike waved the bar tender over and laid a twenty down "Anouther drink for the Lass, an' a Jack Daniels for myself" The bar tender left with Dawns empty glass and returend with the drinks.

"So Love what ar' you doin' in a club like this, And how ave' you been" Dawn turned her entire bar stool to face the peroxide blond vampire sitting next to her.

"What do you want Spike" She sighed the sentence out, then let out the remaining amount of breath she had out in a huff like manner. Spike was a little taken aback by her deminer twards him. She had apparently changed alot over the past years.

"Just wonderin' Luv, havn't seen you or the others for awile now you know"

"Buffy's Dead, Died when I was 18" Spike watched with sad eyes as she took a sip of her drink. Never once did she raise her eyes to his. He figured Buffy had died allready, what with being the slayer and all it was expected of her to live a short life. Though she did live longer then any other slayer.

"Sorry to ear' about that little one"

"I havn't seen the others sence I left" Spike cocked his head to one side. One eyebrow raised.

"And just bloody when did you leave pet"

"A couple days after my sister died, I havn't been back sence, Havn't talked to them. Nothing. Sides' I think It's better this way..." Spike watched his Grown up niblit as she lost herself in her drink and thoughts.

Flash Back

Everyone was seated in the Summers livingroom. Angel, Cordy, Anya, Willow, Tara, Giles, Faith, Robin, Andrew, Fred, Gunn, Wesely, Xander...Everyone. Dawn had just come home from school. Throwing the backpack in the corner near the door she headed to the kitchen to fix herself somthing to eat.

Right before she placed the cold sandwich in the microwave, Willows hand touched her shoulder turning her around. Willow had obviously been crying. 

"Will's are you...Is everything...Whats wrong" Dawn embrased her friend in a large hugg as Xander showed up leaning on the door frame, looking on sadly with his arms crossed.

"Oh Dawnie, I'm soo sorry, Im soo sorry this had to happen so close to your 18th birthday..." Willow was stoped as she choked on her next word and sobs escaped her frame.

"Wha...Whats going on" Right Then Xander decided to make his presence known. He walked over to both the girls he considerd family and envoloped them both in a hugg. Dawn was so confused.

"Maybe we should all go back into the living room" Willow looked Xander in the eye and nodded slowly. Both him and the red head escorted Dawn to the room everyone else was in.

She sat in a big red easy chair. Taking in everyones gloomy and tear stained faces. Angel looked so degected from the world. Giles had his head in his hands. Willow and Xander were holding hands and Tara sat close to her girlfriend. She was confused, but she noticed the one persone who wasn't sitting among them.

"Is it...Were is...Were's my sister"

"Oh Dawnie" Willow broke down again, and Giles's body rocked with a loud sob. Angel seemed to retreat further into his shell of brooding. Cordelia came up and croweche in front of the younger brunette. 

"Dawn, your sister, Buffy, The slayer...We found her in a graveyard this afternoon while you were in school"

"No" Dawns voice was barly above a wisper, her face was a look of shock as her eyes glazed over a bit.

"Dawn, Im so sorry"

"NO" Dawn stood up pushing Cordelia onto her back. Tears started to flow down her face and she looked on in a crazed hysteria. Giles stood up immediatly to try and comfort a girl he considerd close to a daughter. "NO No No No No No No NO"

Giles placed a hand on her sholder, but she yanked away violently Glaring the older man down. "Liers, This is all some sick joke, and Its not funny"

"Its no Joke" Giles voice was heart broken and the peices were reaching out to the young lady in front of him.

"Yes it is, A Sick Twisted Demented JOKE!" She started backing away from everyone who were looking at her sadly. Faith stood up and walked over to her as Giles sat down tired and defeated next to Tara.

"Dawn Shes Dead, Shes gone, and shes not comming back" Dawn stopped and glared at Faith. Then she jumped on her, pounding her fists into the slayer. As tears spilled onto the ground like a dripping faucet.

"No she Not, SHE NOT DEAD, I wont accept it, Shes going to walk through those doors any minit" Faith didn't stop her from venting her anger and hurt. But eventually enough was enough and she grabed Dawns fists to prevent anymore hits.

"Yes she is, Im sorry" Faith didn't look dawn in the eyes.

"No, shes gone, shes really gone" Dawn looked away from Faith and just started sobbing. Faith forced herself into a sitting position cradaling the destraught girl in her arms. Letting tears of her own fall.

Everyone looked on the poor girl with the sadest eyes apon her. There hearts going out to her. She eventually fell asleep in Faiths arms after a couple of hours.

"Hear let me take her up to bed" Angel stood over Faith and Dawn, with haunted and brooding eyes.

"No I got it Fang"

"I...Faith I need to be useful, I need to help. Besided you need to get some rest yourself"

Angel didn't look at her as he said those words to her. Faith stood up and handed the small frail looking girl over to him, He placed a gentel Kiss on Dawns forhead and headed up the stairs.

Present Time

"Luv you ganna com' back anytime soon or am I ganna ave' to order me anouther round of drinks" Dawn looked up at him, meeting his conserned face. She took anouther sip of her margarita and pulled out her second cigarett for the night. "You know pet, Smoking can kill you" She gave him a indifferent look as she blowed a large smoke cloud directly in his face.

"Didn't even stay for the funeral you know" Spike didn't know what to say to the woman in front of him. What do you say when someone says somthing like that to you? But she saved him of a responce. "I, Said some mean things to all of them before I left"

"To all of who pet?" Spike pulled out his own cigarett and lit it. 

"All of them, Willow, Giles, Angel" At the mention of his sires name he Scoffed. Dawn just shurgged her shoulders aware of the rift between the sire and childer. She attempted to change the subject. "So Spike how have you been"

"Alive, Or Unalive I guess. Been around Tis' all" He surveyed the club around him, then focused back on the girl, no Woman in front of him. "Traveld a' bit ear' and there"

"Is that what brings you to New Orleanes, Travel"

"That and martigra is ganna be ear' soon pet, and i don't miss martigra for the world. Topless women all over" A small smile started to apear on her Dark painted lips. She turned back to the bar and rested her elbowns on the counter. Looking at nothing in peticular. Spike mimicked her action. "Wanna tell me how you ended up in New Orleans now then?"

"Travel"

"Cor, pet, that is my words you can't go usen em'"

"What are you ganna do" Spike looked taken aback a bit at her teasing tone. Last time he saw her he had the bleeding chip in his head. Well she was going to find out he didn't have that little problem anymore. 

He Leaned forward and droped his voice to a deadly seductive tone that held the danger of a master vampire. "I could urt' you pet, I could kill you, I could punish you. Theres lots o' things I could do Luv. I don't have that blasted chip anymore" He felt Dawn's Body tense, senced her heart beat speed up and could smell her fear and worry.

"You could" She turned to face him, a resolve on her face, then she hosted a smirk "But The question is Spike, Would you" With that Dawn stood up and started to walk away from him. Or from what he assumed she was walking away.

He stood up quickly and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to him. She ended up so close to him that her nose almost touched his body. "And wear do you think yer' going off to now?" Dawn raised her face, and stood up on her tippy toes to sort of be eye level with the blond in front of her.

"I was going to dance, Care to join me" Spike sofend his facial featers as well as the hold on her wrist. 

"Love to pet" He let her drag him out into the middle of the dance floor. She then turned on him and wrapped her arms around his neak and burid her face into the crook of his shoulder. Spike was again suprised for the umpt time that night. He wrapped his arms around her slim, frim waist and started a slow dance rythem with her. 

Flash Back

Dawn awoke in her bed, she was tired and a little disgruntled. She couldn't remember how she got into her bed in the first place. Taking a glance at her alarm clock she noticed it was 12 in the afternoon. She almost never slept in this late.

Getting up with a streach she made her way to the bathroom. She filled her glass up with water took a drink, Then she saw her reflection in the mirror and she droped the cup. Glass and water spilling everywear. She practically flew out of the bathroom and down the stairs. Everyone from yesterday was in the diningroom having breakfast or sitting around comforting eachother. 

"Bring her back" Dawn Marched up and got right in Willows face, whom jumped back and had a look of sheer suprise on her face. 

"What?"

"Bring. Her. Back"

"Dawn I...I can't" Willow couldn't bring herself to look dawn in the eye. Dawn just glared at the witch in front of her, hands on her hips.

"Why not, you did it before so do it again" Her voice was stone cold and hard. Giles pulled Willow behind him, Deciding to step in before Dawn did something she regretted. Like Punched the Hacker.

"Dawn, we can't, we've allready done that once. The resorces for anouther spell are not available..."

"WELL MAKE THEM AVAILABLE!" Dawn was now dirceactly in Giles face, Her eyes brimmed with unshead tears. 

"That and she died of natural causes this time, It would be morally wrong...and selfish to bring her back" Giles voice was a wisper.

"Vampires are NOT natural causes..She She was only around her 30's its not fair. You have to bring her back...YOU HAVE TO"

"No, Gunshot" Faces turned to look at Xander who was focused on the table. A small puddle of tears in front of him. He looked up to meet Dawns eyes.

"No Vampires, It was a Gunshot wound to the heart...It...I" Xander broke into heart reanching sobs as Anya rubbed his shoulders from behind. Tears of her own sprinkling the back of his shirt.

"What" Dawns voice was even smaller then when she had first found out about her sisters death. Fred walked up behinder her and hugged her. Dawn didn't return the hug she just stood there the new bit of information swimming in her mind. Then her body just fell into dead wight. Taking Fred by suprise and forcing her off balace. Gunn rushed to her side on the floor and helped his Girlfriend up.

"Thankyou" was Freds small reply

Dawn started clawing at the carpet, and Grasping at it for dear life at the same time. Her legs tucked under her body as her Sobs of pain grew louder and louder. Wes crowched down by the girl and attempted to start rubbing her back, but the second his hand touched her she flew back and hit the chair to the side of her.

"DONT. TOUCH. ME." Her voice was hysterical, Confused, Sad, and Angry at the same time. She stood up on shaky legs, using the back of the chair she had just hit for support. Her face once again drenched in salty tears streaming down her pale skin. She took in everyone around her. Passing them a glance to the eyes one by one.

"If any of you loved her. ANY OF YOU. You would try and bring her back" Her eyes stoped and looked accusingly at Willow. Glaring holes into her very form. When no one responded to her sentence she got even more angry.

"FUCK YOU ALL, You never loved her. NONE OF YOU" at that she ran up the stairs to her room and slammed her door so hard that the enitire house rattled because of it.

End Flashback

Dawn breathed in Spikes unique scent of Used Leather, Sex and Tobbaco. It was a familer smell. Even when she was his Nibblit she memorized that smell. His smell. They were still dancing a slow dance even though a new song had come on. And it was anything but slow.

Spike was relived to know the little chit was alive, and happy to be holding her in his arms. She was just so different from when he last saw her. He was intrieged about this new Dawn.

"Pet its been three songs. People are startin' to stare, lets grab ourselfs a seat" Spike gently pushed her away but kept his hands on her hips as her stayed on his sholders. "right then, I don't fancy the bar stools again, Gives my nice arse a bleeding ache. Lets try the couches over there love" Spike motioned with his head to the Vip lounges that wern't very VIP. And she just nodded.

He guided her through the mobs of bouncing bodies to a vacant leather couch and pulled the curtain around it shut. Sittling down he pulled out anouther smoke.

"Now this is more like it"

"Smoking can kill you, you know" Dawns tone was mix between teasing, mocking and mimiking him from earlier. Spike just raised his scared eyebrow at her.

"Luv, Im allready dead" Dawn rolled her eyes and scoffed at him, plopping down on the other end of the couch. After that they fell into a comfortable silence. Each contimplating and lost in there own thoughts. Until Dawn broke the silence. 

"Spike...have you seen or talked to the others, I mean before me that is" Spike took a long drag from his smoke and blew smoke rings out with air he didn't need.

"No Little bit, avn't' been back to Sunny ell' or LA in years" He seemed transfixed on watching the smoke rings appear then disapear.

"Never called, emailed, wrote. Nothing?"

"Ave' you luv..Called, Emailed, or Wrote them?"

"No" She turned her face away from his and focused it on nothin in peticular.

"Then there's your answer pet" Spike put out his cigarett on the arm of the leather couch leaving a burn mark in the nice leather. When he didn't get a responce, or a smart come back he looked over at her. She was off in her own little world again.

Thats when Spike notice her Leather miniskirt, and her Leather calve tie up stellettos. He eyed her legs with appreciation and hunger. They were well toned, firm and muscular. But they were also femini, no doubt about that. The skirt ended a just the right spot to make her legs seem like they would go on forever underneath it.

Spike shook his head, sighed in frustration and retrived anouther smoke. He couldn't belive he had just caught himself starting, and Lusting after his Nibblits legs. But then again she was no longer his Nibblit but he still felt it was wrong in a way.

"Spike"

"Yes Luv" Hes voice was muffled a bit as his cigarett hung on his lower lip and he fiddled with his lighter. She pulled out her lighter, took the cigarett from his mouth put it in her and lit it, then placed it back into his mouth. "Thanks pet" Though he did give her a incredelious look as she had done it.

"Why did you leave?"

"Scuse' me Luv?" He turned so one leg was resting on the couch and hanging off at the knee in a angle of sorts. Dawns little Help with his Lighter problem put her much closer to him on the couch then before.

"Why did you leave sunnydale" Dawn stood up shed her feminin leather duster, and threw it over the arm of the couch she had just preocupied. Sat down closer to Spike still and then reasted her head against the back of the couch. Letting the music from outside the curtians vibreate through her body. She then lazily turned her head to the side to face him, and he was staring out in front of him calmly smoking.

Flash Back

Everyone had been shocked when Dawn had proclaimed how she felt none of them ever loved her Sister. Then proceded up to her room in a fit and slammed the door to her room with unbelivable strength and anger.

"maybe we should go up and cheak on her?" Gunn was unsure of his statement "She didn't look to healthy and all"

"She took it Wicked hard, we all did" Faith was sitting next to wes, rubbing his back as he just stared at the spot dawn had flinched away from him as if he was the murder.

"Leave her be, she needs time to...coap" Giles responded to Gunns statement.

Everyone was silent for a long time, comforting eachother in any way they knew how. Until Willow just broke down down into tears and hard sobs.

"I'm so sorry, I cant do it, Im so sorry, I..."

Xander was immediatly at her side resting his head on her shoulder as he hugged her.

"Miss. Rose...Willow, no one expected you to do any such thing" Wes was by her side in the seat next to her taking her hand in his.

"They were close, this has to be so hard on her, and so close to her 18th birthday" Robin had been silent though most of the past days events. still trying to get over the death of his college.

"Its hard on all of us" cordy was biting her nails an atrosity that almost never happend.

"Yes, She's acting selfish, as if we arnt in pain also, she isn't the only one in pain you know"  
Xander gaped at his wife in shock

"Anya, can I see you in the kitchen please"

"Why Xander, to get onto me for not being able to grasp human concepts as well. But its true, she thinking only of herself. And anyway half her memories are fake, made up by monks. She never really spent all that time with her sister, So I don't understand why she has a right to act like any of us, the ones with the real memories aren't allowed to feel pain on the same level as her" Anya had her hands on her hips glaring Xander down.

"ANYA..."

"She had a point you know, I can only feel sorry for her to an extent" Cordy stood up by Anyas side, suprising the x-vengence demon. "I don't like being accused of not caring, or not giving a fuck. And its deffinatly not fair to Angel who might love her more then any of us!"  
"Cordy that was quite uncalled for" Wesley was now on Xanders side.

"Yes if I do say so myself, just because she is the key doesn't mean she has no capasity for feeling"

The group could slowley see battle lines being drawn right in front of them. People taking sides making arguments and glaring down the others opposite of them. Thats when Angel dashed in a wild look on his face.

"Oh look whos back from a walk in the sewers, are one and only walking dead" Angel ingored his comment looking at Giles.

"Were's Dawn" Angels voice sounded desperate and strained.

"Upstairs why..."

"Blood"  
Present Time

"Number of reasons luv" She rolled her head back into staring at the neon lit celing above them. Giving spike a lustious view of her slinder neak seeing as all she was wearing was a black corsett style top that had no straps. "One of which being your sister an' all"

"hmmmmmm"

"Relationship problems, or the fact she bloody used me for sex, never woulda' worked out anyway, she never could ave' loved me"

"So you split, left sunnydale, Left me" Spike turned his head to look at her a shocked and questioning look on his face. That was soon replaced by a hunger when he saw how much skin her top showed. Shaking his head yet again he focused on the question she had just asked.

"Cor pet, is that what that original question is about, If I left you or not?" He didn't get much of a responce from her physically but her eyes that looked a little glazed over with unshed tears told him everything he didn't want to know. "Jezze pet, I didn' know me leavin sunny ell' would urt' you"

"I don't blame you for leaving spike, Hell I would have to if I were in your situation" Dawns voice was small but held a hint of determination.

"Then whats botherin' you so much luv"

"You didn't even say goodbuy, I didn't say goodbuy" Spike suddenly realized what was hurting her so much. She never told her old friends, practically family that she loved them. And she was pissed off and upset that he didn't even show he had cared for her.

"Oh Luv" He pulled her close to his body in a tight hug. And she snuggled up to him desperatly. She wouldn't let the tears fall, but she felt more comforted and loved now then she had in a long time.

Flash Back

Everyone dashed up to Dawns room. Angel tryed opening it first to find it locked.

"Get it open." Xander practically yelled fearing the worst.

"Xander do calm down, were all trying to get to her panicking isnt going to help"

"Dawn. Honey can you hear me" Tara was standing next to Angel who had his ear pressed tightly to the door, listning for somthing.

Angel looked around the group in a Panic and shook the handel a couple times. "Dawn. DAWN OPEN THIS DOOR NOW"

Faith took her que, and gently moved tara out of the way and into Willows comforting arms. In one solid motion she brought a booted foot upto the door swiftly knocking it down. As the door came to a stop on the floor with a powerful thud, Angel rushed in, Faith behind him and the others following.

"Where is she, Angel you said you smelt blood?" Willow was near hysteria herself the second Angel rushed in, but she was trying to keep her calm if not for her sake but for others.

Robin walked over to her bed lifting her bed sheets. There in the middle of the mattras and coating the underside of the comforter was a pool of fresh blood that had soaked itself into the fabrics.

"Dear God" Giles was agape at the ammount of blood.

"Looks Animal Sacrafice-ish if you ask me" Everyone turned to glare at Anya again. "Well you said she was the key" Anya had a look on her face that said 'duh it explains everything'

Xander walked over to his girlfriend, grabbed her hand and nearly dragged her out of the bedroom. Cordy walked up to her vampire friend, placing a delecate hand on his sholder. 

"Angel, Angel are you going to be ok" He turned sad, guilty eyes on her.

"No, I smell the death in the blood, I know there is a body in the house, I just cant seem to place were" It looked like he was trying to hone his vampiric senses on somthing as he spoke to her.

"I, I don't understand. Where on earth could Dawn be" Wesely was cleaning his glasses posing the question to no one in particular.

"Well the windows are still shut, I doubt she went out the window." Fred also had a calculating look on her face.

"Thats because she didn't" Angels voice was hard, and he made his way past cordy and pushed through everyone else, down the hall and into the summers bathroom. 

"Dear Lord" Both Giles and Wesely were cleaning there glasses as Fred and Faith rushed past Angel to the body on the floor.

Spike rubbed soothing circles on her back. It took alot of focus to keep his mind on comforting her instead of exploring her. Dawn just sat in his lap, her forhead resting at the nape of his neck. His smell was even stronger now, Sex, Cigarrets and Leather. His smell, and it surrounded her in a protective auora. She was being honest when she had admited to being hurt by him never saying goodbye. She was basking in the comfortable silence that had seemed to fall upon them, and was falling asleep from the rythem of his hand on her back.

"Luv' don go fallen asleep on me now"

"mmmm, would do wonders on your reputation" she replyed abit mumbly.

"Not really pet" He chuckled despite himself. He loved her smell, Strawberries, Tequila, and Leather. A interesting mix for a vampires sences. He would have happily held her all night on that couch until some VIP bouncer kicked them out of the VIP section. He thought about ripping the mans head off and going about his buisness. But looking at the brunette bundle in his hands he thought differently.

"Loudness" Dawn raised her head to realize they were now again, walking across the dance floor twards the bar. 

"It was just as loud behind the curtin sweetness"

"No" Dawn protested silently, then she swung her feet abit to realize she was still being carried "Let me down Spike"

"I happen to like the position your in at this moment, so no" She noticed they were passing the bar and headed tward the Exit.

"I can walk for myself" She hissed at him.

"No doubt you can luv, doesn't mean Im going to let you"


	2. Follow Me Home

"Spike if you don't let me down" Dawn threatened. He noticed a deadly cold glint in her eye that she never possessed before.

"Or what luv, not exactly' fraid' of you pet" He replied with a smirk, She wiggled some more in his arms trying to get down but it was useless. She accepted defeat and let him carry her outside the club, and only then when they were past the pack of dogs that kept staring at her inside the club, did he let her down. "See, now you can prove to me that you ave' walkin' skills"

Dawn just started walking away from him down the deserted ally. Spike rolled his eyes, as she was obviously proving her walking skills. He found himself starring at her perfectly round leather clad ass as she swayed her hips, and he found himself again shaking dirty thoughts from his head as his pants because more uncomfortable.

"Luv, don't be like that" He yelled as he ran to catch up to her when she turned down another street with out so much as looking behind her to see if he was following. His niblit had attitude. "Luv, were you eadin'?" He asked as he pulled out another smoke, lit it and blew rings into the dark.

"Home" She replied quietly walking a little bit faster, hugging her coat to herself when a gust of ice cold wind hit them. Spike shed his duster and draped it over her shoulders, she gave him a dark glance but didn't hand the coat back. Spike took this as a sign that they were again on some sort of agreeable ground with each other again.

"You live close to ere?" He asked blowing more rings into the night as he stayed in step with her, no matter what turns she took or how fast she walked. She didn't answer him, just kept walking like she was in a trance. The only sign of life from her was when she turned, grabbed his cigarette, took a long drag and handed it back. Other then that they continued to walk in silence.

Flash Back

Dawn awoke in a large bed, surrounded by bright lights and loud beeps that were causing her to get a headache. She sat up slowly to see bandages around both of her wrists, and lots of Tubs running in and out of her body.

"A hospital, I hate hospitals" She grumbled and tossed away the thin excuse for a bed sheet and slipped her feet onto the cold tile floor. She took in a deep breath and looked around her. She was in a private room, alone.

"Great" She mumbled mostly to herself, and started taking out the IV's, each one she removed with a hiss. Standing slowly she made her way to the closed door and peered our the window, seeing no one in the hall she opened the door and headed out.

"Excuse me" A nurse called as she walked past the front desk towards the exit doors. Dawn let out a exasperated sigh and turned to the red head in the white uniform that was coming towards her. "You can't just leave"

"It's my eighteenth birthday" She said in a low sad voice.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you" The nurse asked again, placing a arm on her shoulder intent on directing her back to her room.

"I'm an adult today, I can leave if I want to" Dawn stated more sternly, shrugging off the nurses hand. Instead of trying to redirect her to her room again she asked her to follow her to the counter.

"Name please" The young nurse asked with a small smile.

"Dawn" She replied, when the nurse gave her a expecting look, she repeated again "Dawn Summers" The nurse went threw the files until she found Dawns and started to flip to the most recent doctor's records. She gave a quick glance at Dawn, who was leaning against the counter expectantly, then paged the doctor.

"Yes Nurse, what did you..." The tall black man stopped in his tracks when he noticed who was waiting in a chair by the desk. He walked briskly towards the nurse and explained that Dawn was under suicide watch and couldn't be permitted to leave the hospital. The nurse nodded placing the file back in its place and picked up the phone to call security. The Doctor walked over to the girl.

"Hello miss Summers, I'm Doctor Eugene, I'm afraid I'm going to have to escort you back to your room, you are under surveillance for a few days and will be checked out to Rupert Giles, until then you need to come with me" He said as if talking to a fragile child. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I'm not suicidal" The doctor nodded his head in fake agreement, not saying anything. "Really, I'm not, See I accidentally fell in the bathroom, and our tub has a sharp metal rounding for the sliding glass doors we have on it" The doctor stopped his walking and she stopped as well continuing her story. "I put my hands out to stop me and I ended up cutting both my wrists" Doctor Eugene gave her a suspicious glance, but turned to the nurse.

"Hand her the checkout papers to sign" Then he turned back to Dawn "You realize you will be checking out against my orders" She nodded her head and he narrowed his eyes "You realize the only reason I'm letting you out the doors is because your family said there was a accident in the bathroom, I placed you on suicide watch because both your wrists were cleanly cut"

He gave her another knowing look as he handed her the clipboard to sign a few release papers and waivers.

"But seeing as they didn't say if they thought it was a suicide attempt or what exactly happened, and that your now a legal adult, I have no legal grounds to force you to stay" The doctor finished, accepting back the signed papers and his pen.

He watched with a sad eye as the teen walked out the doors into the night, still in nothing but her jeans and the hospital robe. He shook his head sadly and went back to his work.

Dawn just kept walking aimlessly in the cold night air, it was a little foggy but she wasn't worried. She let a small smile grace her lips when she thought how easily Sunnydale officials, doctors or otherwise could be so easily fooled and nieve.

End Flashback

Dawn made another turn down an ally until she hit a metal door sitting hidden next to a trash ben. She pulled out a single silver key and forced it into the lock and shoved the door open violently. She stepped inside and Spike followed forcing the rusty metal door shut behind him. 

"So this is were you live" Spike said slowly, eyeing the cracked walls that had mold growing in some corners. It was one big square room, with a small door off its hinges that lead to a toilet and rusty tub. She had a large bed sitting off to one site without a bed frame, and boxes that made a night stand holding a wind up clock. A old dresser was on the other side with a few shoes sitting next to it and a bar going diagonally to hold up things that required a hanger.

"Beat's paying rent" Was her only reply as she shed the leather coat he had given her and the one she owned placing it on a hanger and on the scratched up silver pipe. She unlaced her stilettos and slid them off placing them next to some leather knee high boots and black converse.

Spike continued looking around, taking note of the small section with a beat up couch that was well past it's expiration date, a dusty carpet cutout serving as a center rug, and some cinder blocks holding up a plywood board that had a decent T.V. sitting on it. A beat up radio underneath it with a pile of CD's next to it.

"Decent Luv" He stated solemnly. She grabbed a pair of pajama pants and a spaghetti strap top from her dresser and closed the door to the bathroom as best she could. When she emerged, the vampire was laying on her bed reading a newspaper that had red circles around help wanted classifieds. He barged up to him and snatched the paper away. Folding it up and setting it under her clock.  
"No need to get angry with me luv, you need a job I can understand that" She sat down nest to him and gave a heavy sigh, Spike saw the warren out features her body gave out and he took her into his arms. At first she protested but she easily gave in and rested her head on his shoulder as he rubbed circles on her stomach.

She started to doze off when he said something but she didn't quite catch it.

"What?" She asked quietly. Spike gave a small chuckle.

"I said, ave' you eaten a decent meal recently" Spike repeated. She shook her head, and sat up a bit in his grasp repositioning her body to be able to look at him.

"I mostly go to a small scale restaurant and order, then walk out without paying" She said sincerely. "I just moved here a week ago, so I'm still looking for a decent job as a waitress, or nightclub hostess, something that will pay for a small refrigerator, coffee pot, microwave, toaster and food" She said with a small smile. Spike nodded his head in agreement and understanding. Noting that she had indeed changed drastically over the years.

"Why did you move ere'?" Spike asked, curious. "I doubt it twas' cuz of Martigra" He added with a small laugh. She let a small laugh escape her mouth as well and he hugged her closer.

"Well" She began slowly. "Buffy had a list of places she always wanted to visit in her diary, Iv been to most of them, cept for the out of country ones, this was just another one on her list" She said getting again that far away look in her eye as she thought of her sister, it had been 6 years she realized since her sister had died.

"Ave' you gone back" Spike asked slowly "You know, to visit er' grave?" He finished softly, she tensed in his arms for a moment, then again relaxed. She didn't answer the question and he took it as a no. They sat in complete silence for a moment, the only sound was her steady breathing and heartbeat. He laid his head atop of hers, actually feeling sorrow for the girl in his arms. He had felt similar heartache and pain before.

"You'll be aright pet" He said quietly, stroking up and down her arm softly.

Flash Back

Dawn snuck into her house from the upstairs window, with the same tree that her sister used to use to sneak out of the house when she was younger, and still alive. Seeing no one awake she pulled out her green duffle bag and started throwing clothes into it. when her Duffle bag was stuffed full she pulled out her book bag and dumped the contents on her bed, filling it with things she would need as well.

Then she changed out of the hospital robe, grabbed some extra cash she had saved up and stuffed it into her pocket. She tossed the duffle bag out the window to land on the hard ground. Wincing when it hit a bush, worried that Willow or Tara would wake up.

When she got halfway out the window she pulled back. Glancing around her room with tears in her eyes. She couldn't stay, didn't want to stay. She went back into her room and took one of the binders she had dumped out of her backpack, grabbed a pen from her desk and started to write a note to the others.

_To the Gang,_

Sorry to leave so suddenly. I can't stay. I love you all.

Dawn

Satisfied she left the note on the desk for the others to easily find. Then climbed down the window, threw her duffle bag strap over her shoulder and started off towards Sunnydale train station. The walk there was long and lonely, no vamp appearance tonight. Maybe they were all out at some party celebrating the slayers death. That thought made bile rise in her throughout but she swallowed the acidly taste back down and continued walking with new found determination.

When she finally reached the station, a few ray's of light were peaking over the horizon. She walked up to the teller who had just opened the ticket counter pulled out two of her larger bills and placed them on the synthetic counter top, pushing them closer to the fat old man running the computer.

"Were to?" He asked in a voice that made her feel dirty.

"As far as that will get me" She said, a bitterness in her voice. The man ran the counterfeit pen over the two fifty's to make sure they were real, and Dawn found that simple action in Sunnydale ironic. The fat man punched a few keys on the computer, then handed her a receipt and envelope with her ticket inside. "Thanks" She said offhandedly, walking to sit outside to wait for her train that was to arrive any second.

She opened the envelope and took out the small ticket that read Phenix, Arizona. Not what she had in mind, but for now it would do. Just as she place the small paper back in it's holder the train pulled up to the station.

The conductor took her bags and helped her on, she gave a grateful smile and took a seat in one of the seats that had a table in front of it. Looking anywhere but out the window she silently said goodbye to her old life as she felt the train and her body start to move forward, a single tear slipping past her barriers. 

End Flashback

Spike stroked her hair as she stared off into no were. He realized that she did this off and on, and he was curious to ask what went on in that mind of hers when her eyes got that glazed over look. But he thought it better not to ask.

"What do you miss the most Spike?" She asked suddenly. In a calm hushed voice. Spike thought about the question for a few moments.

"What da' ya' mean luv?" He genuinely asked, in the same hushed tones she had used.

"About Sunnydale, what do you miss about Sunnydale?" She asked again, this time her hand started tracing circles on hand resting around her waist. The first real continuous movement she had made since he first had her in his arms. That was if you didn't count her need to breath.

"Cor pet, tha' a tuff question to ask a bloke" he said seriously, and continued to think about it while she awaited his answer patiently, still rubbing soft slow circles on his hand with the tips of her fingers.

"I guess I'd have to say the drama, twas' always somtin' goin' on at any given moment. Aways a fight or prophecy or sometin to that effect. Avn't been in a honestly good fight in a few years" And Spike always counted a Honestly good fight to be one he wasn't sure if he was going to win or not, something that was going to pose a challenge for him.

"I miss a lot" She said in reply quietly. He nodded knowingly. And suddenly she turned in his arms facing him, her face inches from his. She searched his eyes for something, then she slowly leaned closer to his ear. "I missed you" She whispered lightly before placing a feather light kiss under his ear. Spike's hands squeezed her body harder for a millisecond.

She moved one of her legs over his lap so she was straddling him, but didn't put sit down or put any of her weight down on him, she ran her hands softly up his arms, her head tilted to the side she studied her own hands movements from his arm, to his neck and up into his soft bleached hair. Spike studied her face as she did this, noticing the solemn and almost lazy look on her face.

She ran her hands a few times through his locks, watching how his hair moved under her touch. Then she met his blue eyes again, still searching for something. Then she moved forward tentivly, slowly setting her weight down on him. Spike ran his hands up and down her waist curious to see what she was going to do.

Then she closed her eyes and kissed him with a pent up passion. It had been so long since she had been with a man, she grated her hips into his pelvic bones. Something in her changed with that first kiss. She parted her lips and seeked entrance into his mouth with her toung which he quickly granted.

Holding her closer to his body he relished in her warmth, in her passion. Her hands seemed everywhere and her movements were deliberate, Her hips were driving him mad grinding into him the way they were, almost as if she was dancing. 

She only pulled back from the kiss when she needed to breath, moving her mouth down his chin to his neck, nipping, licking, sucking and kissing seemingly all at the same time. Her hands were petting, grazing, clawing, scratching, and exploring just as eagerly as her mouth was. When she reached his pant line, she tugged his black shirt out of his jeans letting her hands explore his cool skin underneath. 

He moaned when he felt her warm hands on his cold skin, and growled in pleasure when he felt her bite down on his jugular hard enough to make a impression of teeth marks and leave a small bruise. He bucked his hips up and started to remove her thin shirt. She raised her hands granting his request.

She was beautiful, she was fastly becoming his new goddess. With her insights and grace. Her hard outer core, but soft inner self. She was a minx of a lover, and a hell of a woman. He wanted all of her, not just her body, but all of her.

Redemption for two comes in many forms.

"What do you think your doing" She demanded.

"Ganna kiss you all over first sweetness" He just chuckled when she tried to pull him up were she really wanted him by his hair, and when that didn't work tried to pull her leg away. Giving up she fell back onto the bed and squirmed in frustration.

"Spike...Please" She panted spreading her legs just a little bit more. But he ignored her kissing around were she wanted him most and all over her belly

"Bloody Hell!" He said shocked, she bit hard enough to draw blood, and it wasn't that he didn't like it, it felt bloody amazing to him, turned him on even more, and made him harder if possible. "Cor' love, impatient little thing" He grinned down at her as she glared up at him.

Later that night or early that morning.

He collapsed on top of her. And it felt good to have his weight resting fully on her, she kissed his temple, her breathing hard, and a hand stroking his middle back softly. They stayed like that for a few moments joined together, neither wanting to move.

"You taste wonderful luv" He said in passion spent tones. "Maybe a bit more foreplay next time" He said with a small laugh in his voice.

"Kissing me all over was enough foreplay this round" she said sarcastically, but lightheartedly.

He rolled off her, and pulled her into his embrace, his cool body a deep contrast to her overly hott one. She rested her head against his chest giving the bare skin a small kiss.  
Completely sated, she fell asleep in his arms.

Smiling down at her he flung the covers over them and laid his head down rest after giving the top of her head a light kiss.

"Night Luv"  
------------------

R & R lemme know if you like it so far

A/N: The above scene was severly edited for content…sorry if it still has to much but I deleted like five full pages…and its hard connecting those scenes so the end of this chapter might not run as smoothy as the original… Silly Fanfic net rules.


	3. Cold Much

Flash Back Dream

The trip to Phenix Arizona was a long one, and she didn't much care for the view. It was desert, red rock cliffs, and then more desert. She let out a long sigh and rested her forehead against the cool glass window pane.

She tried not to think about what the others would think of her when the found her note, which by any chance they already had and were already looking for her. But she didn't want to be found and was going to make damn sure that she wasn't.

When the conductor finally called her stop she was grateful to be off the train, anymore of the steady rocking motion and she thought she was going to be sick.

"At least the town has more going for it then the scenery on the way here" She mumbled to herself. Feeling refreshed and grabbing her bags from off the sidewalk were they were dumbed, she headed into town.

"First thing first" she said to herself as she window shopped, and then came up to a small diner, the sign read **'Franks Good Home Cooking Grill'** "Let's see If I can get a job" Dawn remembered how her sister had done it, and immediately pushed the memory away as she felt a batch of fresh tears attempting to start.

Pushing the door open she heard the sound of a bell announce her presence, and couldn't help but smile at it.

"Can I help you" A young woman asked politely, she was about her age, maybe a few years older, she had spiky black hair, and some was brushed to cover her left eye partially. Dawn read her name tag and then glanced back up to the girls face.

"Yeah, you can Dedra, is the manager available" Dawn looked around the diner and noted how empty it was, she was fairly sure that the manager wouldn't be to busy.

"Sure, follow me" Dawn followed the woman into the back, then Dedra turned around and looked at her bags "Your new around here, what's your name?" She asked.

"Dawn"

"Well Dawn, it's nice to meet you" Dedra held out her hand and Dawn took it gratefully "I'm Dedra, but you already knew that" The girl said with a small laugh, motioning to her name tag. "Well here is his office, Is name is Frank if you haven't guessed, he's a nice man, I reckon hell give you a job, so don't fret"

Dawn thanked the girl and knocked on the door. To her surprise Frank was a elderly black man with a bit of a pot belly. And he was very chipper, and true to Dedra's word Frank gave her a job, the uniform was a mint green dress and white apron, as well as a gold name tag. And she would be required to wear her hair in a ponytail and keep her nails short.

She thanked the heavens that she had worn white tennis shoes on her trip over, because those were required also, but she didn't have any money yet to purchase them.

"You start this Monday ya here" Frank said with a smile, clapping her on the back "And I don't want ya ta be late, I run an honest business and I need honest people" He handed over a workers manual and sent her on her way.

"I promise Frank, You'll see me first thing Monday morning" she yelled back at him, heading back down the hallway to the front of the diner. She passed Dedra on her way out, who stopped her.

"Your still carrying all your bags, I'm assuming that since you came looking for a job first that you still ain't got no place to stay , I need a roommate and would be glad to cut you slack on rent till you get yourself nice and settled" Dedra asked nicely but Dawn could also see she was a bit desperate.

"Uh Sure" Dawn agreed, seeing as she had no better option, and Dedra seemed nice enough.

"Cool, I get off work in twenty minutes, if you can wait that long, I live walking distance from here so It wont be to dark when we head out" Dawn just nodded her head and took a seat in one of the booths.

End Flashback Dream

Dawn woke up curled next to a hard chest, and she realized something was very wrong with this picture because she never woke up with hard chests sharing the same bed with her.

Turning over slowly so as not to wake the hard chest, she realized that it was still Spike, and that he hadn't left her during the night like she thought he was going to. It was great sex in her opinion, amazing even, and for just a little bit she felt alive, like a new person; But she never once expected Spike to actually stay.

"Mornin' Bit" He said groggily, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her harder against him.

"You're cold" she squealed trying to squirm away from his grasp.

"If you just stay bloody still for awhile I'll be warm soon enough" He tightened his grip on her "Bleeding hell woman would you stop" he snaked his other arm under her to get a even better grip, and she gave up, settling down into his body, a huge smile on her face. "Your a brat you know that lil' one"

"But you love it" She shot back, using the tips of her fingers to run circles around the top of his hand that was resting on her stomach.

"Never mentioned anything about hatin' it now did I" He retorted, His nose was settled next to her dark hair, and he couldn't resist himself and breathed in a large whiff of her scent. "You smell like peaches"

"You did not just smell me!" She mock screamed, Jumping out of the bed quickly and standing before him naked, her finger pointed at him accusingly, the other on her bare hip "You just sniffed me!" 

"Ya, so, wat' of it" he challenged, eyeing her form up and down, causing a deep red blush to tint her cheeks

"That's gross Spike" She said more sternly, crinkling her nose and turning around to get some clothing, giving him a nice view of her dairy air. 

"Yea, well I could smell just how much you want me right now to" He said, his voice dropping to a silky sultry tone. 

"EEEEEWWWWW!" she yelled back at him, grabbing a towel and some clothes. "That is" she paused for the right word "Disturbing" when she turned around to look back at him she noticed him standing a few feet behind her, at full attention.

"Luv, I could do all sorts of disturbin' things to ya that are far worse den smellin' ya" he replied with one eyebrow raised.

"Spike" She whined, glancing at the clock "It's nine in the morning, I have a job interview in twenty minutes and I need to get a shower in edge wise" She took a few steps back when she noticed that he was coming closer to her with a leer in his eyes.

"I got's enough money to last both of us awhile pet, you can miss one interview" He said with a smirk on his face. Dawn glanced between him and the door that wasn't so well attached, that led to the bathroom and made a decision.

She bolted to the door with all the power and speed she could muster in one shot, and just before she was about to shut the flimsy wood on him, he was inside the bathroom with her, pinning her up against one musty old wall with his very hard, very equally naked body.

"That wasn't nice" He said in a amused dark tone. "And sumtin' tells me I'm a needin' ta teach you a lesson about playing nice" Keeping her pinned to the wall with his body, he reached one hand over and turned the tub faucet all the way over to cold.

"Spike no, please, I promise I'll behave" she begged, he just ignored her, licking and biting down her bare neck and using the pad of his thumb to gently rub the sore looking bite marks from last night on the other side of her neck.

"Sorry about that pet" he muffled out between kisses, referring to the mark on her neck that was an angry bright red.

"You want to know how I can forgive you" she pleaded, seeing that the old tub was almost full of freezing water "You could turn the water over to hot" she struggled trying to get free of him but his body just pushed more into her, pushing her even more against the wall, and making his erection just a little more evident. 

Spike saw the water to the tub was almost full as well, and in a lightning speed action, picked up Dawn and placed her in the iceberg cold tub.

She screamed and scrambled over the edge of the tub in a rush to get out, slopping water onto the dirty tile floor. She stood up shivering, her hair soaking wet and her face nothing but rage.

"Got your bath in edgewise" he replied cockily and tossed her the towel she had dropped earlier, and started to walk out of the bathroom with a bounce in his step, and a frustrated noise huff thing came out of the woman he left behind. 

Flash Back

"It's Cozy" Dawn said setting her stuff down just inside the door next to the wall.

"yeah" Dedra agreed "Not to big or anything but it serves it's purpose well, I can give you the grand tour if you want?" Dawn nodded her head and Dedra smiled, she took five steps into the living room and spun around.

"Thus concludes our grand tour" Dedra said with a laugh.

"There has to be more then that, you didn't even say anything!" Dawn protested with a small smile starting to tug at the corners of her lips.

"Well there is a small shower and sink bathroom, and the kitchen which you can see, and the living room, which I'm in, and that one door next to the bathroom door is the only bedroom, but don't worry it has two beds in it already" She said with a smile, plopping down on a pink and orange flower pattern couch.

"Beautiful couch" Dawn commented taking a seat next to her.

"Yeah, init ugly" Dedra laughed lightheartedly, patting the cushion she was sitting on then turning to face Dawn.

"So what's your story, come to town, no place to stay, no money, what or who are you running from?" Dedra asked curious, and feeling heartbroken for the girl, she was only two years older then Dawn, and she'd seen plenty of cases of teens running from stuff, some made it on there own...others didn't.

Dawn's face and features closed up when Dedra asked that question and she looked anywhere but a the other girls grayish eyes. Dedra felt immediately sorry she had even asked, she could tell that it must have been something really horrible for her.

"Can I use the bathroom, and..."Dawn paused "Maybe take a shower?" She asked quietly.

"Of course, you don't need to ask , you live here now to, officially" Dedra paused "That is if you want to, you haven't changed your mind have you?" She asked suddenly worried that she had lost her new roommate.

"No, no I'm stayin'" Dawn picked up her stuff and headed into the bathroom, she turned the knob of the shower over to hot and waited for it to warm up. As she was waiting she started searching through her bags for clean clothes that she could wear to bed.

Just when she was hopping into the shower, she heard Dedra knocking on the door wildly and yell through the wood that she wouldn't have hot water until tomorrow morning because plumbers were fixing the apartments pipes next door.

That warning came a little to late.

Dawn screeched an awful sound when the frigid water came in contact with her skin, and she bolted right back out of the shower. She heard hysterical laughing coming from outside the door, and Dedra trying to apologize between laughs.

Dawn couldn't take it anymore, she clutched the towel to her body and started laughing, hysterically. Everything had gone so wrong lately, and this just took the cake. Cold water. It was kinda Ironic. Dawn got dressed, and opened to the door to see Dedra sitting against the wall next to the door, she had a chasire grin on her face, streatching ear to ear.

"I really didn't remember till last second,I'm really sorry" She said, and she looked like she was trying desperately to keep herself from laughing again.

"It's ok" Dawn said, Dedra's smiles seemed to be infectious, she sat down on the floor next to her and just started busting up laughing again, causing Dedra to join in with her.

"My life's just gotten so fucked up that this just added the last straw to the camels back" Dawn said between laughs.

"Well you sure seem happy about it" Dedra said with her eyebrows raised, also between laughs.

"Yea, well I'm fresh outa' tears" Dawn said, leaning her head over to look Dedra in the eyes, and then started laughing again.

End Flashback


End file.
